Multiple performance game ball

ABSTRACT

An improved adjustable ball comprising: multiple interior hemispherical baffles; consisting of a plurality of holes cut through the surface, located within the exterior shell. An exterior spherical shell; with a plurality of holes cut through the surface where the adjustable ball is configured such that by manipulating multiple protuberances in one configuration the interior baffle holes are aligned with the exterior shell holes. In an alternate configuration the interior baffle holes are misaligned with the exterior holes obstructing the exterior hole openings. In a third configuration the upper interior hemisphere baffle holes are in alignment with the upper hemisphere shell holes; The adjoined lower interior hemisphere baffle holes are misaligned with the exterior hemisphere shell holes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/542,696, filed on Feb. 9, 2004, entitled THECLOSER of the present inventor.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to game balls. More particularly the inventionrelates to those game balls which when thrown has an inconsistent flightpattern.

BACKGROUND

In one known game ball, a fluid bladder is contained within the shell ofa ball. The fluid bladder changes the weight distribution of the ball,thereby leading to a desired erratic flight pattern of the ball.However, there are disadvantages to this type of game ball. The bladdercan puncture and lose its contents, the bladder/ball assembly isrelatively expensive and difficult to manufacture. Another known gameball with an erratic flight path is the Whiffle ball. Whiffle balls, andtheir imitators have been around for a long time, and their erraticflight pattern has become well known to the users over the past years.Thus a disadvantage of game balls such as the Whiffle ball is that theirflight path is uncontrollable.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to an adjustable ball comprising: anexterior spherical shell; and a plurality of exterior holes cut throughthe surface of the exterior shell; two interior hemispherical baffleshaving a plurality of holes cut through the surface, rotate bymanipulating multiple protuberances located at both top and bottom axispoints of the ball; where the adjustable ball is configured such that inone configuration the interior holes are aligned with the exteriorholes. An alternate configuration the interior holes are misalignedobstructing the exterior holes. PARTS LIST BALL 10 COLLAR 11 SLEEVE 12INTERIOR SPHERICAL BAFFLE 14 UPPER INTERIOR HEMISPHERICAL BAFFLE 15LOWER INTERIOR HEMISPHERICAL BAFFLE 16 PIN 17 EXTERIOR SPHERICAL SHELL18 UPPER HEMISPHERICAL SHELL 19 LOWER HEMISPHERICAL SHELL 20 EXTERIORHOLES 22 EQUATOR LINE 24 INTERIOR HOLES 26 PROTUBERANCE 30 SLOT 34

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the disclosed ball; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the ball of FIG. 1

DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a ball of the present invention is illustrated inFIG. 1. In FIG. 2 a ball 10 comprises the following pieces which may beinjection molded of Polypropylene or any other material. An interiorspherical baffle 14 and an exterior spherical shell 18. Interiorspherical baffle 14, may comprise an upper interior hemisphere 15 and alower interior hemisphere 16. A plurality of interior holes 26 are cutthrough the surface of the interior spherical baffle 14 and locatedequidistant from each other on the upper interior hemisphere 15; shownin FIG. 1 in midalignment with exterior holes 22. Similarly, a pluralityof interior holes 26 are located equidistant from each other on theinterior spherical baffle 14. An exterior spherical shell 18, maycomprise an upper hemisphere shell 19 and a lower hemisphere shell 20. Aplurality of exterior holes 22 are cut through the surface of theexterior spherical shell 18, and located equidistant from each other onthe upper hemisphere shell 19. Similarly, a plurality of exterior holes22 are cut through the surface of the lower hemisphere shell 20. Holes22, 26 are “S” shaped but could be any shape. Wall thickness ofspherical baffles 14,18 may be about 3 mm thick or similar; of course, athicker or thinner wall may be used. Hemispheres 15, 16 are capable oflimited rotational movement with respect to each other.

In FIG. 1 a protuberance 30 is shown protruding through a slot 34 at itsfarthest position within slot 34; protuberance 30 are at diagonal pointsat upper interior baffle 15. FIG. 1 further shows diagonal protuberances30 at the lower interior hemisphere baffle 16. Interior hemispherebaffle 14 has at least one protuberance 30; having a grooved surfacearea seen in FIG. 1. The protuberance 30 is rotational within a slot 34located on the upper hemispherical shell 19, and lower hemisphericalshell 20; of the exterior spherical shell 18; slot 34 could be locatedin other areas along the surface of exterior spherical shell 18. Theslot 34, limits the amount of rotational movement between the upperinterior hemisphere baffle 15 and the upper hemisphere shell 19. In FIG.1, interior spherical baffle 14; and exterior shell 18; may be rotatedwith respect to one another such that the holes 22, 26 may be aligned,or the holes 22, 26 may only be partly aligned, or the holes 22,26 maybe completely misaligned so that there is no opening between theinterior spherical baffle 14 and the exterior spherical shell 18.Interior spherical baffles 14 are capable of rotational movement alongan axis of exterior spherical shell 18. FIG. 2 shows interior sphericalbaffles 14 connected to axis of exterior spherical shell 18, by collar11 which is molded to each interior spherical baffle 14 at axis point.Collar 11 slides over sleeve 12; which is molded to exterior sphericalshell 18. Collar 11 is connected to sleeve 12 by gluing or adhering andthen inserting pin 17 into collar 11 of interior spherical baffle 14 andinto sleeve 12 of exterior spherical shell 18, allowing interiorspherical baffles 14 to rotate freely within exterior spherical shell18.

Two protuberance 30 seen in FIG. 1; having a grooved surface.Protuberance 30 further seen in FIG. 2, are molded off center into theaxis of interior spherical baffle 14; protuberance 30 could be locatedin any area along the interior spherical baffle 14. Interior hemispherebaffle 14 slides over the sleeve 12; the protuberance 30 slides throughthe slot 34 at axis point top and bottom of exterior hemispherical shell19, 20 and flush to the surface of exterior spherical shell 18.

A ball 10 in FIG. 1 with a plurality of equidistant “S” shaped holes 22,26 cut through the surface circling all hemispheres of the ball 10.Lower hemispherical shell 20 may be ultrasonically welded, glued,snapped or any other connecting method along equator line 24 to upperhemispherical shell 19. The above mentioned parts may be molded from adual cavity mold or any other means to form above parts.

The disclosed invention has the following advantages: a) Positioning onebaffle open by altering the position of switch(es) at the summit of bothhemispheres, causing the ball to curve along a trajectory. Air flowsthrough only one interior baffle resulting in ball sinking to theground; b) Positioning two baffles closed using the switches at summitand underside of ball, will cause the ball to move faster than indescription (c) below. Air flows around exterior hemispheres resultingin said ball to have no wind drag; c) Positioning two baffles open usingthe switches at summit and underside of ball will cause the ball to moveslower than in description (b) above. Air flows through both interiorbaffles resulting in said ball to create the most wind drag.

The nature of the invention is to allow a person having no specialthrowing skill to throw a variety of types of pitches such as curveballs, fast balls and change-ups by selectively manipulating the desiredprotuberances for each type of pitch.

It is to be understood that other modifications may be conceived withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention. Elements and structures maybe substituted for those specifically shown and described, and certainfeatures may be used independently of other elements, and in some cases,portions of elements, all without departing from the scope of theinvention. It is understood that the invention is therefore only limitedby the claims appended to hereto.

1. An adjustable ball comprising: a shell baffle; an interiorhemispherical baffle located within the exterior shell; a plurality ofinterior holes located on the interior spherical baffle; and a pluralityof exterior holes located on the exterior spherical shell, wherein theadjustable ball is configured such that in one configuration theinterior holes are aligned with the exterior holes.
 2. The adjustableball of claim 1, wherein the interior spherical baffle and the exteriorspherical shell may be infinitely adjustable between a firstconfiguration where the interior holes are aligned with the exteriorholes, a second configuration where the interior holes are in completemisalignment with the exterior holes, and a third configuration wherethe interior holes are in mid-alignment with the exterior holes.
 3. Theadjustable ball of claim 2, wherein the ball is further configured suchthat the flight path of the ball when thrown may be changed by adjustingthe alignment between the interior holes and the exterior holes.
 4. Theball of claim 2, wherein at least one interior hemispherical baffleadjusts Independently.
 5. The ball of claim 1, wherein the interiorbaffle consists of at least one protuberance contained within anexterior shell.
 6. The ball of claim 2, wherein the interior baffleholes are the same shape as the exterior shell holes.
 7. The ball ofclaim 2, wherein the interior baffle holes and exterior shell holes area different shape.
 8. The ball of claim 2, wherein at least one interiorprotuberance extends into at least one exterior slot of an exteriorshell.
 9. The ball of claim 2, wherein the diameter of interiorspherical baffle is less than that of the spherical shell.
 10. The ballof claim 2, wherein the diameter of at least one interior hemisphericalbaffle is less than that of at least one hemispherical shell.